Apple Doesn’t Want Developers Incentivizing Ad Views, Social Shares

TechCrunch is reporting that Apple might be bringing down the hammer on certain ways developers grow profit and player base â€“ specifically, tools that incentivize the viewing of ads and social sharing.

Why? Because iOS 8 is all about app discovery, and they donâ€™t want anybody else messing it up.

Trying to level the playing field is awesome, Apple, but hereâ€™s the problem: if youâ€™re trying to help smaller developers by curbing these tactics with one hand, youâ€™ll be hurting them with the other. Incentivized video ads provide monetization for developers of all shapes and sizes.

It may not be classy, but if watching a video ad for Blitz Brigade gets me premium currency and pays a developer a living wage, Iâ€™m all for it.

The fight against incentivized advertising isnâ€™t a new one for Apple. As Touch Arcade was quick to remind their readers, there was a time that you were allowed to incentivize actual app downloads. Whatâ€™s different this time though is that theyâ€™re not just fighting incentivized ads, but actual gameplay mechanics too. Bugging your friends for in-game perks is a cornerstone of free-to-play design. If thatâ€™s off limits as TechCrunch suggests, this does more than level the playing field â€“ it changes the game.

As usual, thereâ€™s no official word from Apple yet â€“ just some devs whoâ€™ve gone public about being handed update rejections that cite the relevant sections of Appleâ€™s Terms of Service. Thereâ€™s really no way to know how far-reaching Appleâ€™s actions will be, but if you want our advice, prepare for the worst. TechCrunchâ€™s sources are even hinting that Apple may apply these rules retroactively.